The present invention relates to information processing apparatus such as typewriters, word processors or the like using external memories for storing font styles.
Electronic apparatuses having detachable external memory devices including a ROM for generating a character (hereinafter referred to as CG ROM), are known in the art. Some of them are provided with lock mechanisms by which the external memory devices are prevented from being removed while being accessed. Also known is a buffer provided between the external memory devices and such apparatuses. The buffer electrically cuts off the main parts of the electronic apparatus from the external memory device, thereafter the removal of the latter from the former is carried out. These known arrangements are effective and necessary for those apparatuses requiring high reliability regardless of expense.
The above protective arrangements, however, necessarily are not provided where the cost of such a protective arrangement increases enormously and accounts for the most part of the cost of the apparatus as a whole; no serious problems arise while detaching the external memory device, such as breakdown of the main body of the electronic apparatus, and the removal of the external memory device from the electronic apparatus during operation can apparently be considered as user's mishandling.
In particular, taking an electronic typewriter as one example of such electronic apparatuses, the external memory device, i.e., CG ROM package is accessed during printing out. If the CG ROM package is intended to be removed during printing out, there arises a problem that some portions of the printed pattern are lost. Even if the apparatus is constructed to enable intermittent printing out stoppage while the device is detached, some difficulties in printing may occur if a different CG ROM instead of the detached one is inserted (for instance, another CG ROM in which a different pitch between characters is assigned). Moreover, another problem may arise that during the removal and/or mounting operations for the CG ROM package, noises may be superposed on the bus line S1 which might cause the CPU to malfunction.
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus which can perform suitable information and processing provide a counter measure against the removal and/or mounting i.e., disconnection and/or connection of an external memory device during operation of the apparatus.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic apparatus having a connector for detachably mounting an external memory device, and a recorder, such as a printer for generating images basing upon read-out information from the external memory device, which is so constructed as to stop the recording operation and to execute an initializing routine, in response to the removal and/or mounting information from the connector.